Steam-boiler furnaces



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID H. WILLIAMS, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, AND

R. B. FITTS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR THE COMBUSTION OF SMOKE IN STEAM-BOILER FURNACES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 28,335, dated May 1,5, 18,60.

To all 'who/m 'Lt may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID H. WILLIAMS, of the city of Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Mode of and Apparatus for Effecting the Combustion of the Volatile Gases and other Carbonaceous Matters Arising from the Fuel Used in SteamsBoiler Furnaces; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and op eration of the same as applied to flueboilers, so called, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section of a boiler furnace with the improvement applied; and Fig. 2, a horizontal section of the same, like letters, when on both figures, indicating the same objects.

It is well known that by injecting air, in suitably ldivided streams, into the heated products of combustion in steam-boiler furnaces, or the combustion chamber thereof, more complete and thorough combustion may be promoted, and visible gases or smoke prevented, or materially diminished; but this result has heretofore been eected in an imperfect and uncertain manner, and without control. To obviate these objections and difficulties is the object of my invention.

My invention consists in the arrangement of a steam pipe connected with the boiler and having one or more branches combined with similar, and a suflicient number of airtubes or openings into the hot-air chamber, or into the furnace itself, from the open air, or from a. cold-air chamber, either with or without a deiecting wall or heat retainer, across the interior or back part of the hot air chamber, with suitable openings or passages through it for the products of combustion, substantially as hereinafter described, where by I am enabled to regulate the volume of air, and cause the same to intermingle with the products of combustion more effectually, and to perfect the combustion of all those volatile and other carbonaceous products which hitherto have been permitted to pass uninflamed, away to the escape flue or chimney.

In the drawings, A, is the boiler; B, the fire chamber, or furnace; C, the grate; D, the lire-back; E, the heat-retaining wall; F, the hot-air chamber; G, the escape flue; H,

the steam pipe, with its branches H; I, the

cold-air chamber; and K, the air pipes or openings projecting into the hot-air cham- The cold-air chamber (2) is a clear space made longitudinally through the fire-back wall (D), and opens, at each end, through the usual side w'alls of the furnace or combustion chamber. The back part of this chamber (I) is formed by a plate of metal, or other suitable material, and has a series of conica-lly formed tubes (K), or angularly shaped slots, or other similar openings into the hot-air chamber (F)-each tube or opening communicating between the latter and the cold-air chamber (I). Hthin this cold air chamber (I) the lower end of the steam pipe (H) is suspended or supported so that its lateral branches (H) shall each project, concentrically, within or near the mouth of the respective tubes or openings (K), sub stantially as shown in the drawings-Julie upper end of the said ipe (H) being connected with the boiler A), and fitted with a regulating valve or cock (L), so as to admit of the operators controlling the strength of the steam current assing from the said boiler through the pipe and its branches.

The heat-retaining wall (E) extends upward into contact with the boiler, and also across from side-wall to side-wall, so as to form the back-wall of the hot-air chamber; and has through it such an opening (M), or openings, for the passage of the products of combustion, as the exigencies of the case may require.

Operation: After steam has been suiciently generated in the boiler, the cock (L) is adjusted so as to allow a current of steam to pass with suiiicient force, through the pipe (H) and its branches (H), into the hot-air chamber (F) and, the air chamber (I) being open to the atmosphere as described, cold-air rushes through its conical tubes (K), or other openings for the purpose, into the hot-air chamber (F), and is carried by the force of the currents of steam (coming from the branch pipes (H)) with increased momentum into contact with the products of combustion the heat-retaining wall (E) at the same time (when used) greatly aiding the process of combustion by reflecting the heat, and deflecting the gases and solid matters impinging directly thereon-as indicated by the dotted lines in the drawings-and thus becoming thoroughly mingled with all the Volatile and other carbonaceous matters or gases, causes their perfect combustion before they can reach the chimney, or While they are at the most desirable place for combustion under the boiler or in the boiler furnace.

In the-drawings, the apparatus described is represented as applied to a horizontal flue boiler; and the branched end of the steam pipe `(II), and also the air tubes (K), as in horizontal positions; but it is not my intention to confine its application to such boilers, nor the arrangement of the steam pipes and air-tubes to horizontal positions; neither do I confine the introduction of the steam and air to the rear of the i'ire back, as it is obvious they may be introduced into the furnace itself or the ilues, either from the front or from the sides thereof; and that the heat retaining Wall (E) may be also constructed within the boiler furnace itself (as in the case of locomotives or other tubular boilers) and even, if necessary, in boiler furnaces of any other kind;lnor do I confine the construction of the apparatus to any particular number of the branch pipes (I-I), nor of the air-tubesor openings (K) therefor, as it is also obvious that these, like the other parts, maybe Varied to suit the circumstances Without deviating from the principle of construction and arrangement whereby air, with the force of steam, may be driven to any part of the hot air chamber, or of the iiues, or of the boiler furnace itself.

I do not claim the introduction of steam into furnaces, either beneath or Within the boilers; but Y Having fully described the construction and mode of operation of my apparatus, and pointed out its utility, What'I claim as my invent-ion and desire to, secure by Letters Patent is- Y 'Y The Vuse of steam, under pressure, for the purpose of forcing air (through suitably arranged, conically shaped tubes or other openings,'by means of the steam-pipe apparatus operating substantially as described) into steamY-boiler furnaces, their hot-air chambers, or the fiues or tubes of the boiler-the steam jets (H) With the openings (K), or their equivalents, being in combination-Whether With or Without the deiecting or heat retaining Wall (E).

DAVID H. WILLIAMS. 

